Press Release
Ramadhan enters as the Secular Regimes unfold the remaining folds of Islam

As the Ummah enters into the holy month of Ramadhan, Hizb ut Tahrir / Kenya wishes to extend its warmest greetings on this blessed occasion to the Muslims in Kenya and the world at large. We pray to Allah (swt) to give us strength and health to observe the noble act of fasting which is not only obligatory but one of five pillars of Islam.

It is very unfortunate that this year’s Ramadhan commences while Muslims in the country and across the globe are barred from observing Friday (Jumua) and congregational prayers in the Mosques. As usual, the Government scholars hurriedly closed the Mosques even before the Government had ordered its closure. Indeed this is not strange, as they have already been issuing fatwas that contradict the Quran and the Sunnah. More terrible, some of corrupt fatwas have backed the vicious treaties that still bring humiliation to the sons and daughters of the noble Ummah. We say preventing the believers from mentioning the name of Allah is an unjust act that contravenes the ruling of Islam.

[وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ وَسَعَىٰ فِي خَرَابِهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمْ أَن يَدْخُلُوهَا إِلَّا خَائِفِينَ ۚ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ]

“And who are more unjust than those who forbid that Allah’s Name be glorified and mentioned in His mosques and strive toward their destruction” [TMQ 2: 114].

We say, in the wake of spread of pandemic disease what is required by the Shariah is not to stop congregational prayers generally but the infected should be isolated and barred from entering the mosque. Measures such as sterilization, wearing masks, mass testing and washing hands should be also taken to prevent the infection of the disease. The evidence of this is what is narrated in Al Mustadarak on the authority of Tariq Bin Shihab on the authority of Abi Musa from the Prophet (saw) that he said:الْجُمُعَةُ حَقٌّ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ إِلَّا أَرْبَعَةٌ: عَبْدٌ مَمْلُوكٌ، أَوِ امْرَأَةٌ، أَوْ صَبِيٌّ، أَوْ مَرِيضٌ»  “The Friday prayer in congregation is a necessary duty for every Muslim with four exceptions; a slave, a woman a boy and a sick person.”

With regard to congregational prayer, the Sharia has stated that it is an obligation of suffiency (Fardhul-Kifayah). Abu Darda, may Allah pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

«مَا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ فِي قَرْيَةٍ وَلَا بَدْوٍ لَا تُقَامُ فِيهِمْ الصَّلَاةُ إِلَّا قَدْ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمْ الشَّيْطَانُ، عَلَيْكَ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ فَإِنَّمَا يَأْخُذُ الذِّئْبُ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ الْقَاصِيَةَ»

“If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered in congregation the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (Prayer) in congregation for the wolf eats only the straggling animal.” [Narrated by Abu Daud]

Indeed Ramadhan brings good to the entire Muslim population, but the Ummah faces another misery of COVID-19 outbreak which has once again unmasked the negligence of capitalist rulers. The fragility of Capitalism has been apparently debunked and is now made plain for everyone to see. It is the weakest as the spider’s den; the weakest house ever which before the emergency of catastrophes itself is catastrophic. The laid measures by the authorities to cushion their fallen economy are nothing but attempts to obscure the evils of their dead system that awaits the announcement of the date of its burial.

As we read the Holy Quran, in this auspicious month Muslims should certainly understand the sufferings will only end when they implement one of the compulsory obligations by re-establishing the Khilafah (Caliphate) upon the method of the Prophethood in one of the great Muslim nations. Muslims taste these worst sufferings and miseries in all spheres of life due to the absence of the Qur’an’s application in their entire lives.

Shabani Mwalimu
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Kenya